Somebody for Someone

Alki's 'In Blue' Challenge #3- Somebody for Someone

by Erin Griffin

Fandom: Popular

Pairing: Nicole/Carmen

Summary: Somebody's gonna make it right...

Disclaimer: I haven't the slightest as to who owned Popular before it was cancelled, but I know it wasn't me.

Author's Note: This is my first Popular fic, and having only seen maybe 4 or 5 episodes at the most like seven years ago, the characters may or may not be in character. Either way, deal with it. It's fiction, people.

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Here at Cupcake Heaven I believe we've got the best staff a bakery could ask for. We're almost family, we are. At least, I'd like to think so. We've got a small space on the corner of eighth and Delaware, but its college territory, so business is really good, I'd say. In fact, I had to hire a night cashier/barista. She's quiet, but she's got great customer service skills and a beautiful smile, so I hired her ten minutes into the interview. I taught her everything else. Carmen's a chunky girl, saddened by weight insecurities, so I've never seen her take up a free cupcake and coffee (as is the added benefit for the job), but I think she's just fine. If I wasn't an old dyke madly in love with her partner of nine years, I'd stand in line to be with her. As it is, I'd have to wait. Right behind a pretty little blonde with short hair. I see her every night 'round closing time. If Carmen's there, she'll stop and watch her until she goes in the back and clocks out. If she's not, she'll just walk on by. There's something in this girl's eyes that matches Carmen's at times. It's as if they're saying 'If there's somebody for someone, please look at me.' Not once has she come inside, and not once has Carmen seen her looking in.

The girl's persistent, too. I don't know where she's off to or on her way home from, but she always walks by. We've had Carmen for six months, and eve since about three of those months ago I'd see her. Why don't they ever speak to each other? I can tell this girls sees an angel when she looks in, its apparent. Before I thought it was just a cute thing, this crush, but every time I see her, the nights are colder, and the loneliness is deeper. For both of them. Somebody's gotta make it right. Somebody's GONNA make it right. Me. They'll thank me later. "Carmen, don't put away the coffee stuff just yet," I told her before I put on my jacket and walked outside, rounding the corner to the side of the shop where the girl often stood. She was obviously cold, but she was smiling a sad smile at the confused look on Carmen's face. I knew Carmen couldn't see us, the girl an' me, which made it the perfect place for her to watch from. "The way I see it, you can stand out here wonderin' about her all the time while freezing your cute li'l toosh off... Or you can come in for a cup of coffee- on me- and actually talk to her. Whadda ya say?" I asked. The girl, startled, turned to me and blushed.

"No I-" she sighed heavily. "We used to know each other. She'd never talk to me."

"Is that what you think or is that an educated guess?"

"An educated guess... I guess..." she replied slowly.

"An educated guess is still a guess. You don't know for sure.

Come on in for minute, have some coffee, and talk to her. Tell her that you see her."

"I can't tell her that. She'll think I'm a stalker."

"What do you call someone who's been standing outside that window everyday for the last three months?" At her horrified look, I added quickly, "She don't see you, trust me. Come inside. At the very least you' get a free cup of coffee." The girl thought this through, then nodded. "What's you name sweetie?"

"Nic-Nicole," she said.

"My name's Jaime. Welcome to Cupcake Heaven." I said as I opened the door and let her inside. "Carmen, get my new friend a cuppa joe, it's freezing outside. And Nan made the best batch of French vanilla cupcakes an said she'll be insulted if you don't try one." I heard laughter from the back, and I hoped to hear it a lot more.

"She says that every day about every-" Carmen stopped in mid-sentence when she saw Nicole, who looked little dumbstruck when she saw Carmen up close. I couldn't seem to hide my grin no matter how much I tried. "Hi Nicole."

"Hey... Been a few years, huh?

"Yeah. Almost four," Carmen replied.

"Yeah, since graduation," Nicole added before the silence settled in between them. It made me curious to know how they knew each other, what circles they'd run in when they were in high school together, and why they never seemed to meet up in this way until now.

"So... What can I get you?"

"A cup of Earl Gray?"

"What size?"

"Grande, please."

"Sure." Carmen worked in another one of their silences, and I didn't think they would really talk to each other willingly.

"Hey, I know you two knew each other at one point, so you can leave the closing up for me. You go ahead and take as long as you need to catch up."

"I have a class in the morning, so I can't be up and out too late. The last bus taking me home gets here at 12:30." Carmen said, and Nicole nodded.

"That's okay." I walked to the back and watched as Carmen made two cups of tea, and took out a place and placed a cupcake on it. She didn't grab one for herself, even though I saw her hesitate and think about it first. Maybe another time. Nan really does make great vanilla cupcakes. It's why I keep her around. I don't know what all was being said between the two girls, but I know I saw a blush appear on both of their faces at least once in the time they talked. They looked almost happy to be in each other company, and it seemed as if whatever they were like as teenagers in high school didn't matter so much then as they caught up. Here and now, they are equals, it seemed. There truly is somebody for someone, and being the romantic fool that I am, I always hope for the happy ending. I just hope that Carmen found hers.

End

The Corrs Lyrics
"The Corrs Somebody For Someone lyrics"

There's a deep girl in the corner shop
Selling sugar for money in the dead of the night
And her soul's in the sugar and her heart's in the mud
And she's crying with a stranger
For someone to love
And she sings

"Look at me, see me' 'look at me, save me'
'Free me, find me 'cos if there's
Somebody for someone, yeah look at me"
Somebody for someone

There's a deep boy at the corner shop
Watching sugar sell for money to the dead at night
And he sees in her an angel in the cruelest of worlds
Hiding in the darkness
Screaming out for love (screaming out for love)
And he sings

(Somebody's gonna make it right) "look at me"
(Somebody's gonna make it right) "see me"
(Somebody's gonna make it right) "look for me"
(Somebody's gonna make it right) "save me"
(Somebody's gonna make it right) "free me"
(Somebody's gonna make it right) "find me"
"Cos if (Somebody's gonna make it right)there's somebody for someone,
come look at me"

[Violin solo]

(Somebody's gonna make it right)
(Somebody's gonna make it right)
(Somebody's gonna make it right)
(Somebody's gonna make it right)
(Somebody's gonna make it right)
(Somebody's gonna make it right)
(Somebody's gonna make it right)
(Somebody's gonna make it right)
(Somebody's gonna make it right)

(Somebody for someone...), Yeah I wanna be
(Somebody for someone...), I know there's gotta be
(Somebody for someone...), You've gotta be
(Somebody for someone...), Yeah yeah...
(Somebody for someone...)
(Somebody for someone...)
(Somebody for someone...)